From villain to hero- a pirate's journey
by nise1984
Summary: Part of my Back to the start-universe. AU After Emma gets back to the future, Killian is devastated to see her again. Follow the two of them on their journey when one of them knows that the other is his true love, but he has to win her heart again. Follows the series in detail since their first meeting except that Killian's motivation is slightly different.
1. The doctor

He could barely breathe under the pile of corpses Cora left him under. Why does this bloody woman always has to rip out the hearts of everyone in her way?! God how he hates working together with her but it was what Emma has told him and he DOES want to see her again-badly. Not a day has gone by on which he didn't think about his blonde swan and their love. He had done as she told him. Pursued his revenge, got into Regina's castle to ask Belle about the crocodile, which was successful in the meaning of meeting Cora in Wonderland and that's then he thought he made it. She asked to work with the cruel witch in order to meet her again and so he teamed up with her.

He can still remember the moment when the curse hit the bubble Cora has built around them.

He knew he has to wait a long time for his love to return in fact Emma should be just a small babe in this moment who however escaped this dark purple smoke into the land without magic. From what he assumed Emma was about his age minus the years in Neverland of course that makes it about 30 years to wait, so he wasn't as surprised as he let Cora know when she dropped the bombshell of being frozen for 28 years.

When time was moving again he knew that his marvellous woman had made it. She must be broken the curse and it must be not too long until they meet again, although it would be the first time of Emma.

How will she look like, how will she react to meeting him? She only said that he has to work with Cora in order to somehow preserve the timeline but nothing about how long he needed to play the vengeful pirate for that bitch.

He exhaled another breath as he heard people attending the now empty and silent camp.

He hears voices, female voices. He hears her scream- Emma. Of course she would be the one who found him. What does it say about her family? They always find each other. Oh god, she is right in front of him. His heart is bouncing in his chest as if it would like to jump out of his chest. That's it, is the thought that runs through his mind as the body directly above him is lifted and he looks into the bright light of the sun. "Help" he tries to sound desperate but not too desperate. "Please help me" At first he is so blinded that he doesn't recognise anyone.

It's this spoiled princess who pulls him out first. Still blinded he looks around only to meet gaze with some well known green eyes. He blinks and sees that they don't belong to Emma but to a tiny woman with short dark hair. Is this Snow?!

"It's ok. You're safe now. We won't hurt you." She has a soft voice like she is singing.

"Thank you" he lets out with a breath.

"Thank you" He turns around and there she is: his goddess, his minx, his personal savior, his true love- Emma. He looks at her and takes in her attire. Dark trousers which hugs every inch of her glorious legs and ass, a dark shirt and a red leather jacket and he can't help himself, he has to swallow and try to remember that he is playing a ruse here. She looks back at him. Her eyes staring at him, sceptical and he recognizes in this moment that he is staring into the eyes of an even more closed off Emma, with walls as high as that bloody beanstalk he need to climb to retrieve the compass.

He also sees that there is no recognition or even some attraction from her side. Of course your moron, what did you expect? That such a great woman as Emma will fall head over heels for a dirty and stinky man she pulls out under a pile of corpses? God he must look horrible so best he stays with the plan and plays the innocent victim of Cora's massacre.

He sats down on a bench, still playing the role of a poor one handed blacksmith, while Emma and this warrior lass are retrieving some water and talking. They whisper and that's definitely not a good sign.

"Here you go." Emma puts a cup in front of him and the other lass adds some water to it.

Time to play ladies!

"I can't thank you enough for you kindness" he makes a dramatic pause. "Fortune seems to fit to show me a favour."

Emma seems to be on full lie detector mode. He knows she must be as her whole body language shouts it to him.

"A pile of corpses, you're the only one to escape. How exactly did that happened?"

Yeah how exactly did that happened. He knows she will detect his lie as soon as he speaks his words, so he's screwed either way.

"She attacked at night. Slaughtered everyone in one fair coup. When she started ripping out people's hearts, I hid under the bodies of those already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself." He looks over to Emma. Common Swan, you must know I'm lying.

"Mercifully the ruse worked" he continues.

"So much for fortune favours the brave" he still looks at her as she says those words. He sees in her gaze that she got him, she doesn't believe him. "It was all I could do to survive"

He gulps as she bends down a little bit to be on eyelevel with him. She looks him straight in the eyes and good she is beautiful and so strong and..

"I'm gonna let you in in a little secret" she whispers. "I'm pretty good at knowing when someone is lying to me" Bloody hell, this woman is going to be the death of him. She is so hot when she is inquiring like that.

"I'm telling you the truth" he whispers back.

The Asian lady suggests that they should leave before Cora decides to come back and Snow suggests that they should start searching for a new portal to get back at Storybrooke but Emma seems to be still restless and doesn't participate on the discussion.

Snow tells him about her husband and grandson.

"You have a grandson" Henry, she must talk about Henry he realizes. "Long story" Snow answers.

"I know this land well he starts" Obvious to the fact that Emma is now standing behind him. "I can guide you.." but he can't even finish his sentence as he feels a knife pressed to his throat.

"You're not gonna guide us anywhere until you tell us who you really are!" His Swan hisses. God why did he ever thought she would need protection. She is one hell of a lass and if it is even possible he even falls deeper in love with her.

And that's how he finds himself tied to a tree, still pleading for his innocence. Mind you Emma, perhaps you should have told me how long I have to play the ruse.

"Sure you are!" Emma says in a sarcastic tone and whistles with her fingers in her mouth. Loud, very loud.

He hears the approaching Oger roar.

"You wanna talk to us or maybe you wanna talk to the ogers while they rip you limp for limp."

She's a tough nut he must give her that. Her mother in contrary seems a bit stressed.

"Common" Emma motions the others of her group to leave as the beast approaches.

No, no,no, he can't end as Oger food. Perhaps now is a good time to reveal himself.

"Common, you can't just leave me her like this!"

The sleeping princess believes his foolish game but Emma tells her that she knows that he is lying.

Ok, now or never.

"God for you" his voice is now stronger than before. They stand still.

"You bested me! I can count the amount of people who've done that on one hand" Although he has to admit, Emma always bested him, in all the good ways.

Now she is walking towards him, definite taking interest.

"Does that supposed to be funny?"

She is now standing in front of him.

"Who are you?"

He isn't sure how he should present himself first. He remembers her calling him Killian and how he felt being called by his real name again and so:

"Killian Jones, but most people have taken to call me by my more colourful moniker.."

He has to grin at her raised eyebrows.

"Hook"

"Hook" Snow repeats with distaste in her voice. Fine now he is on the wrong side of his future mother in law.

"Take my satchel" She looks into it but Emma still stares at him in disbelief.

"As in Captain Hook?"

Is it possible, does fate is on his good side for once?

"Ah, so you've heard of me?"

But their banter is disrupted again by the approaching oger.

"You better hurry up, they're gonna get closer, so unless you wanna be dinner, you better start talking." She threatens him again, so no, no affection from her side-yet.

"Cora wanted me to gain your trust so I could learn everything there is to know about your Storybrooke. She doesn't want to have any surprises when she finally got over there."

Snow states that they destroyed the warderobe.

"But the enchantment remains" he told them. "Cora gathers the ashes. She's gonna use them to open up a portal."

He struggles against the binds that still hold him to that fucking tree while the ogers are still approaching.

"Now if you kindly let me loose!"

The warrior wants him to leave to die although he tells them that he didn't murder anyone, even Swan leaves, no, this can't be happening!

"Wait! You need me alive"

"Why?"

"Because we both want the same thing" and as she nears him, he knows that this is the turning point.

"to get back to your land!"

"You would say anything to save yourself, why are we supposed to believe you now?"

"I arranged for transport with Cora, but seeing how resourceful you are, I'll offer you the same deal" And swan stop looking at me like that or I throw you against the next tree and kiss you senseless!

"I'll help you, if you promise to take me along."

But now Snows in her best protective mother mood and asks him how he want to help them.

"The ashes will only open the portal, but to find your land, she needs more. There is an enchanted compass, Cora seeks it. I'll help you obtain it before she does."

Emma still looks sceptical; doesn't she see that he really wants to help?

"So Cora won't make it to Storybrooke and we are one step closer of getting home?"

But he didn't reach her mother.

"There's only one way to find out!"

The oger is nearly there they don't have many time left.

Swan holds her dagger to his throat, again.

"You tell me one thing, whatever you say I'd better believe it. Why does Captain Hook wanna go to Storybrooke?"

He looks her deep in the eyes and says

"To exact revenge on the man who took my hand- Rumplestilskin" And so much more and he tricked you and…

She believes him and so they're on their way to the beanstalk to search for the compass they need to go back to Storybrooke and he ist just relieved that everything went well.


	2. Tallahassee Part 1

**Author's note:**

I'm so sorry!

I didn't feel the mood to write, especially as this is really hard to do, because you have to look all their scenes several times (not that I'm complaining, because I love them!) but it takes some time and you just can't do this in your lunchbreak at your job so...

Another reason was my personal tragedy I had in December. At the time of writing the last chapter of this story, I discovered that I was pregnant with our 2nd child. I was beyond glad because we wished for it. Everything went normal till December when the doctor anounces me, that our little one has no chance of living due to several facts.

I was shocked and absolutely horrified but I had to deliver our beautiful little Babygirl Lia at 22nd weeks into the pregnancy at 20th December.

My world has turned upside down since then.. Work will start again in February. It's hard because my maternity leave would have started then too, but life has to go on and I hope, that writing will help me with my sorrow.

So, this dedicated to Lia whom I'm so glad to have met, if it only was for one day.

* * *

They walked through the forest in a group. His arms were tied up but he doesn't care, he's finally back with Emma, his swan, who is currently walking in line with her mother behind him, whereas he is watched by this warrior woman who he came to know is named Mulan and that silly princess.

His Emma is so distrustful, walls up skyhigh and still he thinks that his heart is about to burst out of his chest as he leads their way in the direction of this bloody beanstalk.

"Up ahead. We find the compass just over the ridge"

He looks back as he says those words looking in her direction but she is too engaged in a hushed conversation with her mother to meet his longing gaze.

They must be talking about me is his thought as he reaches the top of the ridge.

"Let me guess" Emma steps beside him and what would he give if his arms weren't bound and that he finally could touch her.

"The compass is up there" Emma seems a little bit cynical as they both stare up to the beanstalk.

"Oh yeah" is his reply. Everybody is impressed but as usual his Swan takes the lead.

"So how do we get to it" He is surprised to find her hesitating in the sentence.

Now it's his chance!

"It's not the climb you need to worry about" he turns around to her. "It's the giant on the top"

That only earns him an eyeroll of the blonde as she takes a step forward determined to reach their destination.

Sometime later they arrive at the bottom of the beanstalk. The sun is shining and it's bloody hot under his awful coat which he had to wear to disguise him as a blacksmith.

He looks up the bloody thing and curses mentally by the thought that he has to climb up the beanstalk to have a chance to help Emma return home, of course with him by her side.

"It's a little freakier than I remember from the story." Emma states and he wonders how much her world knows about the Enchanted Forest.

"Reminds me of death" Mulan says and Snow follows with "Encouraging".

They have to move if they want to outrun Cora.

"Well, your compass waits. Shall we?" he starts walking to the beanstalk. But Emma seems to have an idea.

"Wait, if these beans create portals" he has to smile how she emphasizes the word portal. "Why just not pick one and go home? Why the compass?"

Oh Love, sometime you strike me with your cleverness.

"Because there aren't anymore beans. Whatever story you think you know, my dear, is most certainly wrong." He answers her.

The sunlight brings out the highlights in her hair and he is really curious what she will tell him now.

"There is a guy named Jack, and a cow and something about evil giants with a treasure and a golden goose or harp.." He has to suppress a laugh to her statements. She seems so distant towards the story although it took place in her land.

"Sounds like a lovely tale" he mocks her. "But the truth is a little bit more gruesome. "

He starts to explain the background to her.

"The giants grew the beans, but rather than use them for good, they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack, this man who fought a terrible war defeating all but one of the evil giants."

He mother gives a nod that confirms his story.

"The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died. If they couldn't have the magic when nobody could. It' s really bad form." He grins at her.

"Evil giants, who made magic portal beans. Why doesn't anybody go up and grow some more?"

She's challenging him, damn he likes it! Although he wonders why she always seems the need to vomit when she talks about magic and stories..

"Because one giant survived, the strongest and most terrible of them all, and we'll have to get past him to get through.." but he is interrupted by Snow "to the magic compass"

He supposedly hears Emma say "really?!" in her gesture but only states "Indeed, the treasure remains and amongst of it there is the compass."

He looks and points directly at Emma again.

"Now it will guide us to your land." He continues as she looks straight into his eyes. Now, I finally seem to catch her attention.

"Cora has the means to open a portal with the wardrobe ashes, but she can't find your land without the compass. Once we get it, we steal the ashes from her and run away."

Smooth Killian, Smooth. Although Snow seems not really convinced and Ah, there it is!

"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Cora?"

It's not Emma who asked the question, it was Mulan.

He closes his eyes for a moment, takes in a deep breath. Because I waited nearly 30 bloody years to finally reunite with my true love, only to be not recognized and distrusted but I would do anything to get her back to her land and more importantly to her son. No, this wouldn't be a good answer.

So, best stick to the truth, another one and certainly not the main focus.

"Because you four are far more saver company, all I need is a ride back. I swear allegiance to whomever gets me there first."

Hello she's a heart stealing bitch I only alliance with because you told me so Emma!

"When we better start climbing"

Gods above, Emma believed him!

But one little detail is missing…

"Right, so I failed to mention that the giant enchanted the beanstalk to appall intruders."

"Alright, so how do we get up there?"

Of course it would be Emma..

"I've got a counter spell from Cora. If you please be so kind" He holds up his cuffed arms.

Snow comes in front and releases him with a murderous glare.

He smirks and winks at her "Thank you milady" Ok, perhaps a little too much because of her annoyed stare to Emma. But you always have to be on the good side of your future mother-in-law haven't you?

Finally he can get rid of this awful coat and reveal his good features in his black leather.

He knocks with his brace on the black leather bracelet and wiggles his ringed fingers.

"I've got one more of these. Cora was to accompany me. So.. " He takes a look in to the round of four women in front of him.

"Which one of your four lovelies should take her place, Hmm?" he smiles at Emma "Go on, fight it out. Don't be afraid to, you know, really get into it." He knows he's being cocky at this moment and winks at Emma, but he also knows, that she really likes a challenge and he only wants to climb this bloody beanstalk with her.

And he knows she's on when she smirks at him.

Challenge accepted Captain and my dear Swan, I so hope that you will be the one!


End file.
